1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trailer hitch accessories, and more particularly, to an improved ball mount assembly that provides a convenient and easy method of engaging and disengaging a ball mount/accessory shank in a trailer hitch receiver tube as well as a method of locking the shank to the receiver. The invention also provides an innovative and highly effective method of attaching additional hitch accessories (such as but not limited to an anti-decoupler safety device) to the ball mount without interfering with the proper towing operation of the hitch ball and trailer socket, resulting in a ball mount assembly with improved safety features.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the number, variety and type of trailer hitch pins and/or locking pins have increased significantly. However, in most cases, most of the pins are designed to be inserted through the apertures in the receiver which, in the majority of cases, are not conveniently located or easily accessible. In addition, when inserted, the pin generally is located directly above or in front of the receiver's safety chain connection loop/ring mounts and oftentimes components of the protruded hitch pin or locking hitch pin interfere with the proper fastening of safety chains. Without adequate clearance to fasten safety chains to the receiver using properly sized quick links, S-hooks, snap hooks, grab hooks, latch hooks or the like, there may be a tendency to utilize undersized links or hooks to attach the chains causing a potential safety concern. Additionally, based upon the location of the receiver's apertures and owing to the inability to see when the ball mount and receiver apertures are aligned for pinning, people will frequently use a finger to feel when the holes are aligned, oftentimes resulting in pinched fingers. In addition, numerous conventional hitch pin locks currently available in the market utilize rubber o-rings in the locking mechanism. While the o-rings are effective in keeping foreign particles out of the locking mechanism, they often make it more difficult to determine with certainty that the lock is in fact engaged to the hitch pin. Ensuring the lock is engaged to the hitch pin is increasingly more difficult to determine when the receiver apertures are not conveniently located, in darkness, and/or in inclement weather.
While some assemblies have utilized dual retractable pins in lieu of a removable standard hitch pin or locking hitch pin, they generally consist of an integral locking mechanism necessitating a key for operation (for example as in the assembly described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,563). In addition to the added expense of a built-in lock assembly, the engagement pins must be in a retracted or engaged position to remove the key (i.e., the ball mount can not be engaged or disengaged from the receiver without the use of a key). With the advent of receiver hitches on numerous off-road vehicles such as ATVs, golf carts, lawn and garden tractors, etc., consumers today want to utilize their hitch equipment interchangeably among vehicles conveniently without the inconvenience and constraints associated with mandatory lock and key operation. A much more practical and desirable assembly is one that permits the engagement pins to be unlocked and disengaged for easy removal without necessitating lock and key operation, but also provide a method for optionally locking the ball mount to the receiver when so desired.
Although the number and variety of hitch-mounted automotive and truck accessories continues to increase, use of the accessories is limited since conventional receiver-type hitches generally consist of only a single receiver tube, and, with the exception of the inventor's Multi-Task Trailer Hitch Assembly disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0214391 A1, conventional ball mounts generally do not accommodate the attachment of additional hitch accessories. Consequently, utilizing an accessory generally precludes the ability to tow since use of an accessory necessitates removing the ball mount to insert a different accessory such as a tow hook, shackle, hitch-step, carry-all, bicycle carrier, etc. Some products have been introduced that attach to a ball mount platform like the hitching-apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,630 and the safety hold-down device and hitch guide for trailer decoupling prevention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,085 B2. Shortcomings with these products, however, are that they either are secured to the ball mount platform via the trailer ball and cooperating fastener, or do not provide adequate clearance for the universal coupling and unobstructed operation of the various types and styles of trailer tongues on commercial trailers. By securing an accessory to the ball mount via the hitch ball and nut as described in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,697,630 and 6,969,085 B2, use of the accessory can apply torque to the accessory's mounting base secured by the hitch ball causing potential ball spin that can loosen the hitch ball.
Thus, a maximum security/maximum versatility ball mount assembly incorporating a self-engaging receiver/hitch pin assembly and accessory support base solving at least some of the aforementioned problems is desirable.